With Leiweke on board, what happens to Colangelo now?

Addressing the status of Raptors president and general manager Bryan Colangelo would appear to be one of the first tasks for Leiweke on the job. The team must decide whether or not to pick up its team option on Colangelo. It is believed Colangelo will present a plan to MLSE’s board of directors early next month.

With the hoopla, joy, and optimism a hiring of Leiweke's calibre, does this allow the Raptors/MLSE to fire Colangelo giving the time and opportunity to go in another direction (i.e. taking a step back to move multiple steps forward and chase championships) without total anarchy from Raptor fans?

Lets face it, unless JV becomes a dominant, legendary, all-star I cannot see Toronto competing for championships in the next 4 years. Maybe they make 2nd/Conference Final run (I doubt it) but that would be it, not championships.

By the way, I changed my signature so we never forget and raise our expectations above just making the playoffs.

It depends on what the perceived interest is in the Raptors. They don't need to hit the market to get a sense for it. Let's not rule out the possibility of Leiweke having a casual dinner or round of golf with Phil or someone close to Phil if you get my drift...

Matt52 wrote:

Crazy thought:

With the hoopla, joy, and optimism a hiring of Leiweke's calibre, does this allow the Raptors/MLSE to fire Colangelo giving the time and opportunity to go in another direction (i.e. taking a step back to move multiple steps forward and chase championships) without total anarchy from Raptor fans?

A big thank you to Ryan Wolstat for transcribing Leiweke's conference call:

And finally, Leiweke on where the Raptors go from here, including Bryan Colangelo and his option:

"We need to build a culture that Jerry Buss and Jerry West built with theLakers. I don’t know if that requires change or not, we’re going to find out real quick.
They want to win. They want that to be my highest priority. Got up every day trying to push everyone to winning championshps and that’s what we’re going to do now in Toronto. We won’t be crazy, and we won’t do stupid things, but there are teams in all the leagues that do stupid things and it comes back to haunt them. But, the Raptors have to aspire to be the Heat and the Lakers. A team and a city that people want to be a part of and that’s what we’re going to build. Same with the Maple Leafs.

I know Bryan, I talked to Bryan today. I’m clearly not in a position to be the best one to make this decision, since I’m joining late and I’m not even going to be full-time when they make this decision. But, that said, the board is leaning on me to give a recommendation. I have been talking to a lot of people in the NBA to get their feeling and their opinions of what the Raptors are doing right and what the Raptors are doing wrong. Going to sit down next week and have a long chat. Never easy to step in and be a part of inheriting something.

I don’t think it’s any question that the first action is going to be the Raptors. I wish I had more time, I wish I was there to make this decision, at the same time, we’ll do our homework and I’ll try to get up to speed as quickly as I can. I don’t think anyone’s happy with the Raptors being out of the playoffs as long as they have. We’re going to be very focused on that first and foremost and how to fix it. I come from the NBA, I’ve learned under the curve of Jerry Buss and Jerry West. You don’t find two better teachers than those two guys on how to build an organization that not only wins one championship, but becomes the dominant organization."

I am probably going to be let down but it is nice to have optimism return. Haven't felt it since last year and there are many around here who have not felt it in years.... and probably still don't - lol.

It depends on what the perceived interest is in the Raptors. They don't need to hit the market to get a sense for it. Let's not rule out the possibility of Leiweke having a casual dinner or round of golf with Phil or someone close to Phil if you get my drift...

Sure, if we've learned nothing from the whole Colangelo era.

I don't think that is a stretch at all:

On Phil Jackson rumours:
"Phil and I talked this week, but only because he had heard the rumours about Toronto and just called me to say what a great city it is. It’s too early to speculate, I’m not going to deny that Phil and I are friends and that we had an amazing run here, but have been busier trying to get the agreement done. Will turn attention to the well-wishers and those offering to offer suggestions tomorrow. I’m going to reach out to all of the people I know in the NBA and ask them their opinion. I don’t think anyone has all the answers, so one of the thing I have to do is get up to speed on the Raptors and the decision the board has to make and give them the best decision I can.

We didn’t have any of those conversations, nor was it appropriate until we had finalized a deal. He was calling to say best of luck. His fiancťe, Jeannie, is still a very good friend of mine and I talk to him often. This was more about our relationship than anything."

IF BC goes I dont think Casey will go right away he will be given a little leeway. However it will likely be a very small margin for error.

Apollo wrote:

Most GM's want to bring in their own guy when entering a new job; Sam Mitchell was not the norm.

for me this depends on if phil wants coaches to run his sytem. right now we have no idea what phil as president would do. would he observe for a year and see what he has got? (i doubt he is very familiar with the raptors personel and players) or would he walk in and clean house right away?

mitchell would have been gone if he didn't win coach of the year when bc showed up and at bcs' first chance, he was gone.

I would love for BC to be gone and replace by Phil Jackson, but realistically, the time frame for Leiweke to make a decision on behalf of the GM position is short. He has not seen him create and try to build this team up close, he is not aware of his current plans.

It'll be likely the option is picked up, and see where they go with this season. To be honest, I would like to keep this team, but BC gone.

I would love for BC to be gone and replace by Phil Jackson, but realistically, the time frame for Leiweke to make a decision on behalf of the GM position is short. He has not seen him create and try to build this team up close, he is not aware of his current plans.

It'll be likely the option is picked up, and see where they go with this season. To be honest, I would like to keep this team, but BC gone.

He will hear his ideas in early May and I think he is going to be able to quickly identify if his plan is good and obtainable or not.

While Leiweke is not aware of current BC plans, I bet you he is aware of his results. Hopefully results finally matter.

I'm not going to claim I know much of anything about Leiweke, and didn't even know he existed before yesterday (in fact I kept hearing Witwicky, which got me thinking about transformers, which got me thinking about Megan Fox, which got me.... well I'm off topic here)

But from the what little it is I know I can say:

- It would a pure guess if I claimed whether he would make changes in regards to Colangelo, but I think this doesn't make a "option pick up and see the season play out" as straightforward as it once was.

- sounded so much like Colangelo. Classic business world shop talk. I've always disliked it - alot of abstract or vague wording, atleast in the way its used, that means alot or very little all at once. Not necessarily relevant I guess, just makes me cringe.

- I'd be more impressed with his resume if he grew mid or small market sports franchises into something special rather than one of the two premium markets in the US.

- definetely taking a wait and see approach with what he does (or doesn't do) with this team and MLSE in general. Is this a 'we want a guy to look after our sports franchises' scenario, with impunity? freedom? on a leash? as a face? Does this open MLSE's wallets a bit further? Is this about bringing relevance to their sports franchises (lets be honest, the Raptors and TFC aside, even for the largest and wealthiest team in a sport - the leafs aren't on the same relevancy scale as the Yankees, Lakers, Knicks, Giants etc. in their respective sports) Or is this more about setting the stage for the NFL in Toronto?

All said a done, I'm definetely not opposed to some changes at the top of the food chain.